Hi all,
I seem to have been unusually observant this weekend and there are one or two random things I noticed:
1. Bruce Dickinson (of Iron Maiden) is now a B737 co-pilot with Astreus airlines flying out of LGW.
2. Why do airports always say short delays are caused by “late arrival of inbound aircraft”? That’s like saying it’s late because it’s…late!
3. I spent an idle few hours on the terrace at AMS. Why do Northwest have such an old fleet? I spotted 3 DC-10’s, a B747-200 and only a single modern B747-400. They must be the only major Western airline to do so.
4. Why do BA operate so many different types of regional aircraft? They have moved towards just using 747-400 and 777-200 on long haul routes. But short haul…J41, Saab 340, ATP, Dash 8-300, ATR-72, CRJ, ERJ, 146, RJ100, 737-300/400/500, A319-A321! I know the 757’s are being phased out, as are the 767’s, but that is a lot of duplicated costs!! Are they going to standardise on a single big turboprop?
5. The train journey from Schiphol to Centraal Station only costs EUR 2.90 and the LHR express costs what, £15? It’s annoying that a far inferior airport (LHR) costs so much to get to/from.
I know I just posted a lot of unrelated stuff, but I’m in a quizzical mood!
By: EGNM - 12th September 2002 at 12:46
RE: Various interesting things
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 12-09-02 AT 01:07 PM (GMT)]Cityflyer express are a franchise too with the ATRs and RJ100s, as are British Med with the A320’s/1s although BA do own 320s and 319s
By: skog - 12th September 2002 at 07:24
RE: Various interesting things
I love Iron Maiden 🙂
Bought the Rock in Rio DVD recently. There’s a “day in the life of”-thing there on each band member, and Bruce Dickinson went to fly in a simulator. I think Varig’s.
By: greekdude1 - 12th September 2002 at 01:08
RE: Various interesting things
Northwest does have an old fleet, Andrew, especially compared to the rest of the US majors. United, American, Continental, and USAirways only fly modern types now, and Delta does for the most part. I think Delta might still operate a few 737-200’s with Delta Express and a handful of 727’s with the mainline carrier. I’m not sure of this, however. Northwest, on the other hand, still has a sizeable fleet of 747-200’s, DC-10 series 30’s and 40’s, and DC-9’s. From what I’ve heard, they have A330’s on order to replace the DC-10’s on international routes, and they’ve already started receiving 757-300’s to replace them on domestic services. As far as 744’s go, they only have the original 10 they ordered as the launch customer. We don’t even see them at LAX, only the classics. I flew out of AMS lately, and that was just NW haven. On the one hand, it’s good to still see those classics flying. I wish DL still had their Tristar’s and I wish United still had their DC-10-10’s.
GD1
By: KabirT - 9th September 2002 at 09:35
RE: Various interesting things
1: I dont like Iron Maiden. :9
2: Thats how it goes.
3: I think Northwest is getting new B747s and replacing DC 10s. They operated DC 10s on Washington-Delhi route. They changed to the 747-400 briefly. Plus USA is one place where one of the worlds oldest planes are operated. Northwest will replace DC 10s with A330s.
4: BA sometimes is a showoff.
Well as i see only the 3rd answer might help you. 😉
By: Bhoy - 9th September 2002 at 00:42
RE: Various interesting things
Nah, Loganair are just a franchisee.
By: mongu - 8th September 2002 at 21:04
RE: Various interesting things
Which other airlines? Certainly both British Regional and Brymon are part of BA proper now. I think Loganair might be too.
The only independent franchisee I know of (in the UK) is Maersk.
By: wysiwyg - 8th September 2002 at 20:52
RE: Various interesting things
[updated:LAST EDITED ON 08-09-02 AT 08:54 PM (GMT)]I’ve met Bruce a few times at various aviation establishments in the past and he really is a nice guy.
In summer season, when charter aircraft are delayed it can take several days to catch up the schedules. Block times are tight and sometimes you depart 15 minutes late because the aircraft was 15 minutes late getting in. The schedule is so tight that there is very little opportunity to get that 15 minutes back. We try by getting direct routings and using different levels giving more favourable winds but you cannot always find these.
BA’s regional fleet is like an aviation circus because most of these types are operated by different airlines using the brand name. The decision of which aircraft type that company operates does not rest with BA.
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September 8, 2002 at 8:24 pm